The Blues Brief
Article by e-Chelsea Correspondent Robert WakeFollow e-Chelsea on Twitter here!
e-Chelsea Weekly News Round Up
On The Pitch
15 March – Aston Villa 1-0 Chelsea. Chelsea’s 14-game unbeaten run in the Premier League came to a controversial, bad tempered end at Villa Park on Saturday. The first-half was largely forgettable, notable only for a Nemanja Matic effort rather harshly disallowed for handball. The game swung inexorably in the home side’s favour on 66 minutes. Willian, whom had been booked during the first-half tangled with Fabian Delph on halfway. The challenge barely appeared worthy of a free-kick, but Chris Foy, who has plenty of previous with Chelsea, was quick to brandish a second yellow and dismiss the livewire Brazilian. Villa made their numerical advantage tell eight minutes from time when Delph played a one-two with Marc Albrighton and flicked his shot beyond Petr Cech. In stoppage time, Ramires was rightly shown a straight red for a nasty, two-footed lunge on Karim El-Ahmadi. In the melee that followed, Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands to complete a miserable day for The Blues.
16 March – Chelsea Youth 1-3 FC Schalke Youth The Under-19s went down to defeat in the quarter-final of the inaugural UEFA Youth League as goals from Sebastian Starke Hedlund, Maurice Multhaup and substitute Florian Pick sent the Germans into the last four. A John Swift strike midway through the second half gave Chelsea brief hope but they were unable to recover.
17 March – Reading U18’s 2-3 Chelsea U18’s. Our Under-18s secured an impressive away win in Berkshire thanks to goals from Tammy Abraham, Reece Mitchell and Charly Musonda.
18 March – Chelsea 2-0 Galatasaray (Agg 3-1). Chelsea progressed to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League with a routine victory over a disappointing Galatasaray side containing former Chelsea legend Didier Drogba. It was an emotional return for the big Ivorian, but in truth his current side were never in this game from the moment Samuel Eto’o latched onto Oscar’s pass to shoot past Fernando Muslera in the fourth minute. John Terry lashed a volley narrowly over from Frank Lampard’s flighted free kick before Chelsea doubled their advantage 3 minutes before the break. Terry was allowed a free run at Lampard’s right-wing corner, and though Muslera did well to parry the Skipper’s effort, he was powerless to prevent Gary Cahill thumping home the rebound from close range. Chelsea controlled a low-key second period, and Stamford Bridge rose to salute Drogba at the final whistle.
Off The Pitch
14 March - There has been a small alteration to the kick-off time for Chelsea's Barclays Premier League fixture away at Swansea City. The match on Sunday 13 April will now begin at 16.00hrs, not 16.10hrs as announced last month. It remains live on Sky Sports TV. There is also confirmation that Chelsea v Stoke City on Saturday 5 April will remain as scheduled with a 17.30hrs kick-off. This game had been subject to movement dependent upon Champions League participation the following midweek.
19 March – Jose Mourinho has been charged with improper conduct by the FA following our game with Aston Villa on Saturday. “It is alleged the Chelsea manager’s behaviour in re-entering the field of play in or around the 90th minute of the fixture and approaching the Match Referee amounted to improper conduct.”
Looking Ahead
22 March – Chelsea v Arsenal. FA Premier League. Stamford Bridge, Saturday 22nd March, 12:45hrs (GMT), Live on BT Sport.
29 March – Crystal Palace v Chelsea. FA Premier League, Selhurst Park, 15:00hrs (GMT).
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